MX23RW : Friday, April 26 00:01:20| >> :600:363068:363068:

Callum McGregor hopes Celtic can benefit from changes to UCL qualifying

Callum McGregor hopes Celtic can benefit from changes to UCL qualifying
© Reuters
The first three rounds will be played as one-off ties before the play-offs revert to two-legged affairs.

Celtic midfielder Callum McGregor will take heart from their performances on the road in Europe last season as they prepare for a Champions League qualifying campaign with a difference.

The first three qualifying rounds will be played as one-off ties before the play-offs revert to two-legged affairs.

McGregor, who was promoting Celtic's June 30 season-ticket renewal deadline, said: "It's going to be different. It becomes straight knockout football. Anything can happen in these games.

"We've been fairly good at trying to negotiate the rounds, whether it be Champions League or getting into the Europa League.

"In terms of being a one-off game, you know that you can put everything into that 90 minutes and try and get it done. It will be slightly different but something that we're relishing as well."

Celtic only lost one of seven away European ties last season, a defeat by Cluj in Romania after they had already won their Europa League group.

"That will give us confidence," McGregor said. "Obviously we sort of changed our set-up away from home and we seemed to get good results.

"That will be in the back of our heads that we can go places and still be a threat on the counter-attack and get the goals which you need to win any football match.

"You look at the game we went away to Stockholm and won. You look at Lazio as well, we were a massive threat on the counter-attack.

"That will give us good confidence, whether it's here or drawn away from home, we'll fancy our chances to try and get through."

Celtic's first qualifier will take place on August 18 or 19.

ID:403883: cacheID:403883:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:2619:
Restore Data
Share this article now:
Craig Gordon during a Celtic training session on November 7, 2018
Read Next:
Craig Gordon reveals talks with Hearts amid Celtic dispute
>
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
10am
Bublik
Carballes Baena
10am
Marozsan
Cerundolo
10am
Musetti
Seyboth Wild
10am
Paul
Klein
10am
Rublev
Bagnis
10am
Andreeva
Noskova
10am
Bronzetti
Rybakina
10am
Garcia
Wang
10am
Pavlyuchenkova
Saville
11.30am
Altmaier
Fils
11.30am
Martin Etcheverry
Shapovalov
11.30am
Alexandrova
Krueger
11.30am
Bucsa
Kasatkina
11.30am
Dolehide
Kalinina
11.30am
Jimenez Kasintseva
Paolini
11.30am
Linette
Sabalenka
1pm
Baez
Van Assche
1pm
Hurkacz
Draper
1pm
Bejlek
Kalinskaya
1pm
Cristian
Krejcikova
1pm
Kostyuk
Sherif
2pm
Zheng
Putintseva
2.30pm
Humbert
Van De Zandschulp
2.30pm
Darderi
Fritz
2.30pm
Boulter
Montgomery
3pm
Shevchenko
Alcaraz
3.30pm
Vondrousova
Rogers
4pm
Griekspoor
Daniel
4pm
Munar
Struff
5pm
Navone
Rune
7pm
Coric
Zverev
8.30pm
Collins
Danilovic
11.30am
Shang
Davidovich Fokina
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
Championship Group
1Celtic000080265478
2RangersRangers000072234975
3Hearts000046341262
4Kilmarnock00004334951
5St Mirren00003843-543
6Dundee00004454-1041
Relegation Group
1Hibernian00004451-739
2Motherwell00004651-537
3Aberdeen00003549-1435
4St Johnstone00002446-2231
5Ross County00003256-2430
6Livingston00002259-3718
 
First Phase
1Celtic33246380265478
2RangersRangers33243672234975
3Hearts33195946341262
4Kilmarnock33131284334951
5St Mirren33127143843-543
6Dundee331011124454-1041
7Hibernian33912124451-739
8Motherwell33813124651-537
9Aberdeen33811143549-1435
10St Johnstone33710162446-2231
11Ross County3379173256-2430
12Livingston3339212259-3718


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!